THB PLIGHT OF APOLLO 11

D, M, Bosenberg 215 Gunson East Lans ing , Michigan

48823

CONTENTS

Night a t Cape Kennedy 1 The S l e e p e r s 2 On William Bartram*s Journey i n t o F l o r i d a 3 New World 4 Launch 5 The Val ley of Sh inar 6 Outward Voyages Rapid A c c e l e r a t i o n 7 Escape Ve loc i t y 8 Tracking S t a t i o n s 9 Burning of t h e Black Ghe t tos 10 Coas t ing i n O r b i t 11 The Whales 12

I g n i t i o n f o r F i n a l Descent 14 An Slegy f o r Spacemen K i l l e d i n a Cockpit F i r e 15 Waxworks 1° T r a n q u i l i t y Base 17 I n P r a i s e of Sabat ino B o d l a ' s Watts Towers 18 Lunar Landscape 19 P r a i r i e Harves t 20 Feyo te Country 21 The Open Hatch 22 On a Snapshot o f GIs Taken i n World War I I 23

Moonwalk on T e l e v i s i o n 25 Let Thi s Be a Zen Garden 26 A New England Herbal 27 S c o t t ' s P r o c e s s i o n a l s Ninety Degrees South 28 B o o t - p r i n t on t h e Moon 29 Tableau a t t h e Beach 30 Dr. P i k e i n t h e Judean Deser t 31 Before Lunar Ascent 3 2

Mylal I n q u i r y 33 North Dakota Water Tower 3h p r i s o n e r s of War 35

O r b i t a l Rendezvous 3? On Shortwave Radio a t Night 38 Radio S i l e n c e 39 Inward Voyage 40 P a s t o r a l s S i t e of an Air Crash i n t h e Woods of Kentucky 41 Splashdown and Recovery 42 Quaran t ine 43 A Fragment from T r a n q u i l i t y Base 44 American Parade 45 The Tab lo ids 46 Vic to ry Parade f o r As t ronau t s 47

NIGHT AT CAPE KENHEDI

Tomorrow t h e t h r e e s t e e p l e j a c k s w i l l c r o s s t h e catwalk above t h e crowd. But t h i s f l o o d - l i t n i g h t t h e spacesh ip looms a Vast h a l l u c i n a t i o n .

We s h a l l p o i n t i t toward t h e slowly r e v o l v i n g moon and d i s c h a r g e i t i n o u t b u r s t s and f l a r e s a s t h e swing-arms p u l l back and tower crumbles away.

I t must ascend, f r e e i n g i t s e l f from o u r world of i r o n and rock , a f o u n t a i n of f lame r i s i n g u n t i l i t p l u n g e s i n t o deep g y r e s of space beyond o u r c o n s c i o u s n e s s .

At t h e middle watch of n i g h t be fo r e t h e s tun of son ic boom t h e s t i l t - l e g g e d b i r d s feed i n t h e palm swamp* s mouldy a i r and n a t i v e f r u i t drop i n t h e h e a t .

2

THE SLEEPERS

H e r a e l i t u s , Fragment s "Even s l e e p e r s a re "workers and c o l l a b o r a t o r s i n what goes on i n t h e u n i v e r s e . "

F ly ing o v e r t h e ea r th t o n i g h t I dream of t h e c o u n t l e s s s l e e p e r s below, t h e i r e y e l i d s c losed , f a c e s f l i c k e r i n g l i k e embers i n ash . The minds of t h e s l e e p e r s c o l l a p s e inwards l i k e burned o u t s t a r s , b l ack h o l e s i n o u t e r space ; each draws l i g h t i n upon i t s e l f , and l i g h t from s t a r s beyond i t . p i c t u r e s of t ime a r e t r apped i n t h e r i f t , and thought burns f o r e v e r l i k e s o l a r f i r e a f t e r s t a r s s top sp inning and d i e .

3

ON WILLIAM BERTRAM'S JOURNEY INTO FLORIDA

He h a s t u r n e d a l l h i s h o r s e s o u t to g r aze by t h e morning l i g h t i n p i n e savannas . Winding through t h e swamps, he p a d d l e s c l o s e along t h e s inuous shore , l i s t e n s to b i r d s i n t h i c k e t spea r s t e l l i n g s e c r e t t h i n g s . Homesick, he t u r n s to t h e headstream to reach t h e landmarks f o r h i s wayward q u e s t . Long i n e x i l e , he i s drawn now, unhur r i ed , to r e c o l l e c t t h e k ind red t h i n g s i n marshes squandered by a r e c k l e s s c r e a t i o n .

The f r a i l boat skims t h e j u n g l e channel through t h e noon of h i s uneasy Arcadia . He s u r r e n d e r s to t h e p e r i l o u s hush and a p o s s e s s i v e world embraces him. Through t h e coppice of o r ange t r e e s he d r ags a f t e r him t h e s l a i n unfading se rpen t as t h e snakeb i rds overhang t h e b r a n c h e s . He r e g a l e s h imse l f on d e l i c i o u s honey.

Al igh t ing from a boa t , a Seminole with a plume c r e s t e d on h i s shaven head e l e g a n t l y g r e e t s t h e p e a c e a b l e man. Prom dusk to n i g h t t h e s e t t l e r h e a r s l i s p i n g f l u t e s waf t ing through t h e ho t and incensed f o r e s t , and l o v e s t h e redmen*s uncouth c a r o u s i n g . Bet ro thed to da rkness , he i s unbound to g a t h e r blossoms, wi th tongues and f angs , of h i s once l o s t recovered kingdom. Along t h e s i nks he calmly s t e p s among t h e t h i c k e g g - s h e l l s below broken and s c a t t e r e d .

I n t h e w i l d e r n e s s t h e shaman r a t t l e s h i s gourd and knocks t h e dee r - sk inned drum. In s i l v e r q u i l l s mummers shu f f l e with t h e i r wandering t o r c h e s , p a r t i n g by mis ty p a t h s through t h e l i v e o a k s . Of what was once o u r s i n t h e h igh f o r e s t b i r d s of passage with f a l s e t t o laugh lament , f e a t h e r y palms sway to s h i v e r t ambour ines , and with c lapping jaws t h e h o r n y - p l a t e d c r e a t u r e s r o a r t h e i r c a t a s t r o p h i c p s a l m s . Under a f l i g h t of c r a n e s , t h e o l d s e l f remembers to r e j o i c e as i f i t were f o r t h e l a s t t i m e .

NEW WORLD

k

Reason's dar l ing , Tom Jefferson walks serenely in h i s garden surrounded "by the wi lderness . Fountains chime, and. a clock of s t a r s revolves in h i s capacious head. Winding the cosmic t ime-piece, he i s overseer of se l f -evident t r u t h s .

As he dreams of a green republ ic buffalo are s la in on the grass lands , redmen's to r sos are ripped from earth and scream in the woods l i k e Satan? b e l l s gong the doom of cargoes as slaveships r i s e and r i gh t off the t i l t i n g , prophet ic shores*

Once the divine spies of Calvin long and boney in" t h e i r p u l p i t s r a i l e d at wicked pews, and shook t h e i r chains in the promised land . The crooked l i n e s of t h e i r q u i l l s inscr ibed the v i l e th ings , and promised each wayward pilgrim a wintry gr ie f .

Whispering, they spied on our parents who rejoiced in shame and with eyes ha l f -c losed consumed t h e i r soft f r u i t . The embroidered serpent coiled about the boughs of the toxic t r e e and leaves f l u t t e r e d , s e t t l i n g on the black and smoking waters .

Sweet Jefferson does not hear the voices , the murmuring of mad preachers as he s i t s a s t r i de h i s horse above the v i rg in h i l l s and va l l eys of westward-flowing streams.

5

LAUNCH

Apollo, god of golden-thighed Pythagoras, s t r i k e s h i s prophet ic l y r e , and a s trange song l i f t s in waves of sound and breaches the sky, gold again in Heracl i tean f i r e*

We pay homage to our absolute star# Our wi l l i s done — and we behold, t ransported. We stand s igh t l e s s in the golden debr i s with our hands ra ised to block out the sun.

THE VALLEY OP SHI NAB

6

Nimrod's a r c h e r s l e a n back to span t h e i r bows and draw, t a k i n g aim a t heaven to h i t t h e s u n ' s f a c e , l e t t i n g arrows l e a p , p r o p e l l e d w h i s t l i n g bronze i n a i r from noon u n t i l n igh t*

Trac ing a curved p a t h , they hang m o t i o n l e s s i n moonl ight , and arc showering s i l v e r f a l l i n g i n s t e e l s h a f t s which p i e r c e t h e bowmen on ea r th with q u i l l s *

Wrathful Nirarod hands r a i s e d i n s u r p r i s e i s s t ruck dumb t h i c k with p i n s beneath B a b e l ' s tower a s t h e s t a r s wh i r l round.

OUTWARD VOYAGE: RAPID ACCELERATION

The l i f t i n g ship g a i n s speed and curves away heading o u t ove r t h e chain of r e e f s along i t s t r a j e c t o r y , and o u t of s i gh t t h e metamorphosis begins*

Strapped to t h e i r padded couches t h e men l e a v e t h e world more and more behind and t h e i r f a c e s beneath t h e c r y s t a l masks convulse i n l u n a t i c g r i n s .

The s p e l l - c a s t i n g speed t u g s t h e i r skin as they c l eave t h e comet-freaked sky and atoms of unconceived v i s i o n break f o r t h to spray a s l a n t t h e void of space .

I t s i n s t r u m e n t s p u l s i n g s igna l s* in format ion r a c i n g through t h e a i r , t h e c h a r i o t soa r s toward t h e moon's su r f ace and d r i v e s t h e Beas t s of R e v e l a t i o n .

ESCAPE VELOCITY

8

The c h i l d r e n of -wrath h o l e up i n t h e &nerican d e s e r t and scavenge on o u r r e f u s e h e a p s . They l u r k i n wes tern movie s e t s on easy terms with t h e f l y - g o d . His crooked charms i n f e c t them and they howl i n d e l i g h t , c rawl ing around t h e sand i n end le s s a r c s l i k e t h e Scorpion, F i sh , and Grab.

S lash ing t h r o a t s i n a b r i g h t mansion they scrawl g r a f f i t i i n blood on a l l m i r r o r s which accuse t h e p a l l o r of t h e i r moon-souls . Unabsolved, unexorc ised , they a r e loosed upon t h i s e a r t h , and through s w i r l i n g gas Apollo f l e e s . Swollen red g i a n t s , whi te dwarfs , and hot b l u e s t a r s explode i n space .

TRACKING STATIONS

The rocke t i s a metaphor t r a n s p o r t i n g meaning* We cha r t i t as i t a r c s i n t o da rkness and e l e c t r i c a l storms#

As t h e shadow of n i g h t r i d e s t h e c o n t i n e n t , f r a g i l e v e s s e l s rock on t h e sea and r e c e i v e s i g n a l s of i n t e l l i g e n t f i r e *

P r i s o n e r s of e a r t h , we s t r e t c h toward t h e f a r - o r b i t i n g f l i g h t , and echoes from t h e t a r g e t , l i k e o u r own n e r v e s , rebound between c e r t a i n t y and doubt .

BURNING OF THE BLACK GHETTOS

Thi s summer of t h e moon-shot we f i r e from roo f tops and rove t h e s t r e e t s to ransack s t o r e s behind g r a t i n g s , and smash b lue-eyed window d o l l s .

F i r e s have s p l i t t h e dwe l l i ngs apar t and bared t h e h a l f ha l lways s i l t e d up with shards of g l a s s , c o l l a p s i n g w a l l s , f l i g h t s of p u r g a t o r i a l s t e p s .

Anxious l i g h t - b e a m s range , p e e r i n g i n t o c r a t e r s of g u t t e d t enements . With smoke and sulphurous s tench d e b r i s smoulders i n t h e d a r k n e s s .

The s i r e n s cannot q u e l l t h e rage i n t h e ru ined c i t i e s o f Tophet, burn t o f f e r i n g s which r i s e up to t h a t God as blanched as t h e moon.

COASTING IN ORBIT

Thrust o u t i n space a lone I s i g h t t h e g lobe o f e a r t h apa r t and o t h e r w o r l d l y . Th i s heavenly s t a r hangs f r e e dawning o u t of cosmic storms a b l u e and luminous s h e l t e r *

You may h e a l us , d i s p o s s e s s e d , with r a i n on open g r a s s and h i l l s , whitecapped b r e a k e r s , scudding thunderheads , t h e w i l d e r n e s s quick with c r e a t u r e s we have named i n p a r a d i s e . I t i s your b r i d a l n i g h t , v e i l e d e a r t h , f u l l of l o v e , drawing me back home.

As t h e world r e c e d e s from v i s i o n I p r a i s e t h e t e n d e r l o s s . Th i s h e a r t bea t i s e a r t h ' s f o r I am made of h e r s l e e p l e s s d u s t . L ike a bereaved goddess she c r a d l e s l i f e , h e r sweet and p a i n f u l burden .

12

TEE WHALES

The n o r t h e r n s a l t wa te r , f a r i n l a n d , from which t h e whales must r i s e to go to sea h a s locked i n i c e t h e i r s t o u t majesty* The i r power and immensity dammed up, they must b a t t e r to slough t h e burden o f f . But i n t h e dep ths l a n g u i s h , e x p i r i n g , Lev ia thans s t randed and imprisoned t h e r e *

But t h e world i s more to man than i t was be fo re he f e l l ; and he r o s e and journeyed to t h e s i t e of d i s t r e s s to save t h e wha les . In t h e f l a t l i g h t , with w i n t e r p r o g r e s s i n g , he came armed with chain saws and r e s c u e pumps* he dropped f i s h from p l a n e s f o r t h e hungry b e a s t s , f o r such t h i n g s a r e be l i eved to ho ld good. To swim to t h e Beaufort Sea, they were f r e e d .

Released, t h e whales b e a r a l o f t r i d e r l e s s and i n t h e d e s o l a t i o n , t e s t i f y they l o v e to have i t s o . The seas run o f f t h e i r s i d e s as o f f t h e s i d e s of b r i n e - c o v e r e d s h i p s , and l i f t i n g b o u n t i f u l l y i n o u t b u r s t s they quicken t h e waves away and o v e r . These v a s t mot ions which p i t c h with i n c r e a s e d thew whiten i n s u r p r i s e t h e heaving s w e l l .

I n l impid c u r r e n t s of t r o p i c seas s leek do lph ins a d r i f t have been heard to grunt t h e i r s leepy comfort . Here, i n i r o n s l e e t , remote i n t h e Arc t ic w i l d e r n e s s t h e generous whales s h a t t e r t h e wa te r s of n i g h t . L i b e r a t e d , they d e c l a r e t h e g lo ry of God.

In h i s s t a r k , exac t ing d i a l e c t i c t h e ample Aquinas wrote t h a t to l o v e God above a l l t h i n g s i s most n a t u r a l . Therefore , even t h e p e b b l e s strewn along b lack Eskimo shores l o v e t h e i r p rope r go®dj and r i s i n g to p r a i s e t h e Omnipotent a r e t h e whales , t h e whales , soaked through with ma je s ty .

IGNITION FDR FINAL DESCENT

The r e t r o r o c k e t s d r i v e us backward u n t i l we reach zero speed and make o u r l a n d i n g on t h e moon. I t i s coming even n e a r e r , t h i s o r a c u l a r f ace of rock, s i g h t l e s s , no t l i f t i n g i t s s t i f f e n e d l i d s *

Here a re no wine-dark seas o r c louds l i k e t h o s e we saw above Greece, no brown and o l i v e North African c o a s t . These a re P l a t o * s l u n a r peaks , wind less oceans , and c r a t e r chains? t h e r e , t h e escarpment c a l l e d Apollo Ridge#

After o u r descent engines f i r e we b r ing i n t o being t h i s i s l a n d of emptiness and b r i g h t abodes* We merge with o u r own p o s s i b i l i t i e s and with t h a t s tone we must r o l l away from t h e h e a r t - s t o p p i n g s e p u l c h e r .

m SLEGI FOR SPACEMEN KILLED IN A QDCKPIT FIRE

No procedure could save t h e t h r e e sea led In t h e i r metal honeycomb. During s imulated countdown r e a l v o l t a g e surged as t h e appa ra tu s s c a t t e r e d i t s hazard s p a r k s . Stones smoking i n t h e cha r red c o c k p i t , they never l e f t t h e g r a v i t y of e a r t h .

The way up and t h e way down a re one s ing t h e f i r e and t h e swarms of s t a r s . The d e a t h l e s s moon awai t s them with s t a i rways to b a s a l t c o u r t y a r d s , rampar t s and domes p a l e i n e a r t h - l i g h t . But they fol low o u r spaceship o u t , bur ied i n t h i s i n e s c a p a b l e e a r t h .

The speed of l i g h t i s t h e l i m i t we gain upon but can never r e a c h . Perhaps they have o u t sped any sh ip , soared beyond t h e f eve r of t ime and at f u l l speed s t r eaked away through t h e dark flowing of t h i s moment, which remains wi thout end.

WAXWORKS

With adoring accuracy the eminent dead are reclaimed. L i fes lze , t h e i r ges tures are preserved for our gaze. We are mesmerised by the incarnat ion of the l i t e r a l . Pres ident , as tronaut , o r k i l l e r s t a r t l e s us in tal low l i k e n e s s . The s ightseers f i l e past to view declamatory i d o l s aloof within the vacuum of t h e i r pageant. A comfort for the covetous, t h i s peepshow of fa l l en angels . Time locked the vaul t in mock judgment, and the constant assassin gr ips h i s gun to f i r e once more at the dying anointed p r i n c e . We behold the p rec i se tab leau without pleading for entropy.

TRANQUILITY BASS

H e r a c l i t u s , Fragment? "Changing, i t r e s t s , "

We must impr in t o u r own o r d e r on s o l i t u d e and chaos, and with a heavy pay load we home on t h e cha r t ed s i t e . Fact and wish converge at t h e f ixed p o i n t where pu re number sped u s .

We see no speck on t h e c h a s t e moon where t h e men have l a n d e d . Gazing up a t t h e d i s t a n t sphere we t h i n k of them suspended i n immobi l i ty beholding t h e c r e s c e n t e a r t h which hangs low above t h e l u n a r r im .

The i r b r e a t h s p u l s i n g home p e a c e f u l l y , they a re at t h e end of motion and i n touch with t h e o r d e r of t h i n g s . The i r ship draws l i g h t l i k e b u r n i n g - g l a s s as they r e s t on t h e s i l e n t p l a i n s , enclosed by t h e end le s s rush of m a t t e r .

18

IN fRAISE OF SABATINO HODIA'5 WATTS T0WE&3

Atoms tw ink l e and draw him to t h e yard of broken cups . Grouching, he g a t h e r s fragments from s lagheaps , and by t h e nervous t ho roughfa re s i n exhaust and a r i d i t y , he c o l l e c t s t h e smi thereens of a r e s t l e s s world t h a t would g ive up halfway t h r o u g h . From r u b b l e along t h e shore , t h i s Noah s toops again to save and p i e c e t o g e t h e r s h e l l , and t i l e s , and t i n t e d g i a s s , chromosomes f o r h i s t o w e r s .

Three towers , bego t t en , r i s e i n Watts , o u t of mud they r i s e , luminous s i g h t i n g s — -t h e r e fu se , l o s s , and c a s t o f f s of l a s t days o rde red , r e c r e a t e d i n t o s c a f f o l d i n g s spun with i n t r i c a t e f i l a m e n t s i n space . Towers, t ransformed, soar to gong and windchimes: t h e b e n e d i c t i o n s of t h e i n t e r i m calm and i n t e n s e , with cadences even more sweet than t h e a l l - c l e a r s i g n a l s of t h e mi l lenn ium.

LUNAR LANDSCAPE

Through the porthole* s f i e ld of v is ion the earthmen see the u l t imate fac t , a universe of mat ter .

We -wait on the i r reg t i la r moon with i t s gray and crusted mantle, a p i t t e d carcass f loa t ing in the void*

We wi l l see a besieged amphitheater of t i l t i n g rocks and c r a t e r s tha t gape in calamitous vacancy.

Meteors have vandalized the stonework and shat tered columns, bombarded h i l l s and stark p a s t u r e s .

We are another shooting s t a r t r a i l i n g flame with a power tha t drove us toward our radiant moon,

I f we t r e spass in your shr ines , 0 pale Artemis, l e t us sanctify your a l t a r with our consciousness*

PRAIRIE HARVEST

The warheads parch i n s i l o s bu r i ed i n North Dakota loam of f roads where t h e migran t workers j o s t l e i n a d e r e l i c t bus* P a s t s h a n t i e s behind t h e w i r e fence they sweat to p ick t h e f r u i t from ea r th n o t t h e i r s , i n v a s t accus ing f i e l d s .

White g r a n a r i e s overshadow t h e dark h a i r e d r e a p e r s who long i n t h e morose and blond wheat f o r s c a r l e t v i n e s , crown of t h o r n s , p r o c e s s i o n s of s a i n t s and blossoms about t h e l e e r i n g head of Judas , f o r t h e dance to maracas seeds*

On t h e p l a i n s t h e church s t r i c t l y b e a r s i t s s t e e p l e , u n l i t , i t s doors f a s t Against d e s o l a t i o n and n i g h t . Harves t packed i n f a rmer s ' h o l d s , t h e f r u i t l e s s buses r o l l away i n t h e s p e l l of dawn, as huge c y l i n d e r s behind them r e a r with droning t h r o a t s *

21

fSXOTB CDUNTHY

En r o u t e to t h e P a c i f i c , d e s e r t towns b l a z e l i k e a c i r c u s f i r e . Neons c a j o l e t h e crowd with f u g i t i v e c a p t i o n s ; songs of l u c k a r e wai led wi thou t s u r f e i t o r peace , and r e p o r t s of war r i c o c h e t o f f t h e a i r*

Radar sc reens rove t h e s t r e t c h of s tuporous n i g h t o v e r mesas where I n d i a n s squat i n hogans be fo r e t h e a l t a r ' s molten c ruc ib le , , and champ t h e i r a c r i d dus t to pray f o r p i t y as Mariner s l i d e s behind Mars and i s hidden*

THE Of EN HATCH

The Eagle p e r c h e s on t h e moon h igh - l egged and gleaming on t h e b r i g h t l y l i t ground, Fushing slowly backwards through t h e opened ha tch we a re d e l i v e r e d i n t o a second c r ea t i on*

Prom t h e heavenly ship a l a d d e r lowers i t s foo t s e t on t h e rock of t h e high p l a c e s , and t h e sons of men l i k e solemn ange l s go down and up t h e r u n g s .

The r i s e n body descends on an u n f a l l e n world wi thout form o r l i f e * I n t h e t e r r i b l e hush a t t h e bottom rung t h e word opens up as we reach apogee.

ON A SNAPSHOT OF GI s TAKEN IN WORLD WAR I I

To f i x t h e image t e r r i b l e and b r i g h t they remain i n s i l e n t p e r f e c t i o n , and t h a t i n s t a n t f o r e v e r f i xed t h e s h u t t e r a t t h e l a s t must c l i c k .

Now, p repared fo r f l i g h t , they a re u n a l t e r e d . One s h i e l d i n g h i s eyes , ano ther b l i n k i n g , they s tand f o r a s p e l l with t h e i r gear m o t i o n l e s s and u n p r o t e s t i n g , f o r o u r c u r i o u s , calm s t a r e , i n t h e shimmer of t h e h e a t h a z e , i n t h e sof t b l u r of t i m e ' s exposure ,

L l g h t h e a r t e d , t h e i r s t u b b l e sweet, casua l arms around each o t h e r ; smoking and smi l ing , q u i e t l y jok ing , expecting-—•> composed they seem be fo re t h e i r a i r p l a n e . Clothed i n l i g h t , s i l e n c e from t h e i r l i p s a s su r ing us with r e l a x e d pose what they must have been ready f o r i i n t h e g race of what enormity as t h e b r i g h t n e s s of t h e moment s t i l l hangs i n t h e a i r ?

25

MOONWALK ON TELEVISION

Sdwin S. Aldrin J r» i "Then when we en te red a shadow, we would see r e f l e c t i o n s o f o u r own f a c e s i n t h e f r o n t of t h e he lme t , and they obscured anything e l s e t h a t was to be see*** F i r s t on t h e Moon, 19?0„

From t h i s mesh of d o t s t h e human eye c r e a t e s an i con of spacemen,, Unstable on t h e v e r t i c a l h o l d t h e men i n huge s u i t s slowly l o p e , w r a i t h s i n t h e moon's r e f l e c t e d l i g h t .

The l i g h t waves from t h i s event p l ay on t h e compound l e n s of t h e wor ld . Trying to ge t a g rasp on n a t u r e we mel t i n t o t h e ash gray beach, t r a n s p a r e n t a g a i n s t dead sea p l a i n s .

They f i nd no l i v i n g t h i n g , no where a f i l amen t o f capsuled moss, thumbfern push ing through a f a u l t , o r snake g l i d i n g l i k e a whipcord o v e r s h a l e i n t h e parched streambedo

LET THIS BE A ZEN GARDEN

Take t h e pathway of f l a t s t o n e s to t h e garden and i t s m a t t e r of f a c t way g a t h e r s you i n . Bestow you r se l f once t h e r e and you cannot be exc luded . I f t h e b a r e s tones a r e t h e r e , a t t e n d them and l e t them, v iewer , be con t a in ing as they a re i n t h e incomple ted garden . Likewise obey them. Give accord to t h e given of t h e garden* s r o c k s . Then each of them t h e g r e a t e r and t h e l e s s on t h e whi te g rave l w i l l , i n i t s pr imacy, chas ten you. These, t hen , a r e immediate i n s t a n c e s of s t o n e : i n t h e middle d i s t a n c e I s t h e b a s i n s tone , and to t h e back t h e candle s tone on which to p l a c e a cand le a t n i g h t , and on t h e r i g h t a p a i l s tone to p l a c e a p a i l of ho t water on i n w i n t e r . Hence, each given p o i n t , each angle , each s tone , i n i t s ex t remi ty i s now h e r e , i n t h e calmness of a garden completed, i n t h i s moment of your acqu ie scence .

A NSW ENGLAND HBRBAL

The Pilgrims s a i l to the p lan ta t ion of s a in t s but the garden there has no holy palms, golden c i t rons o r v ineyards- - only l imestone furrowed by t o r r e n t s of r a in , and tangled woods.

Entering, they grope about the dark and hear the f l u t t e r of j o s t l i n g wings<» The c a t t a i l marsh i s possessed by the Fiend, and wild, men hunt beas ts in the moonlight.

When the dew d r i e s in the morning they go to co l lec t t h e i r b i t t e r simples. Kneeling, they pick tansy for the pains of b i r th and g i l lyf lowers to heal an aching h e a r t .

Their f ingers dote upon the mullein p l a n t s hairy leaf , and blue hyssop tha t stanched the wounds of Chr is t ; they yank witchgrass underground and Indian tu rn ips trimmed with crimson b e r r i e s .

They ransack the woods imbrued with bloodroot; the scaly asparagus shoots for l u s t ; adder ' s tongue for sores ; rue for tormented eyes; for madness wild thyme, and tansy for the dead.

They sip the milk of herbs made sweet with honey, and t h e i r chambers reek with smoking candles . A flame s t i r s ou t s ide , as they s l i d e the bol t to fasten t h e i r door against e t e r n i t y .

SCOTT'S PHD CESSION AL * NINETY DSGHBSS SOUTH

Drawfc to t h e p o l e l i k e b r i g h t n e e d l e s they must accep t t h e i r dead reckon ing .

The immaculate p i l g r i m s t r e k to t h e g a t e s of heaven on d e s e r t s of wh i t e p a s t seamless t e n t s of w h i t e .

They a r e no l o n g e r e f f i g i e s of s t r i c t rhythms l i k e a hymn bu t i n t h i s v i s i b l e u n i v e r s e an i n v i s i b l e church .

Beyond t h e c r o s s - f r a c t u r e of t h e main r i f t they p u t o u t t h e i r damned s t a r s so t h a t no keen g l i n t w i l l p i e r c e o u r l i d s *

BOOT-PRINT ON THE MOON

29

Where f a t e d Adam s t a l k e d , t h e g r a s s h a s neve r grown# Sach f l e e t i n g s t ep wounded ea r th with i t s sco rch ing s y l l a b i e«

On t h e u n f a l i e n , l i f e l e s s moon t h i s i s t h e mark o f man, f i x e d l i k e an e v e r l a s t i n g s e a l .

No g r a s s need grow around t h e h e e l when s o l e and t o e o f boot a r e f lower enough, p l a n t e d on b a r r e n s i l t .

While s p e c t r a l s t o n e s a r e b leached with sun t h e sunken t r a c k of mor ta l man c a s t s a v a l l e y of t h e shadow of d e a t h .

/

/

TABLEAU AT THS BEACH

The f i g u r e s on t h e shore do n o t see me but l o o k i n g down c o l l e c t s h e l l s unde r foo t . Waves r o l l i n , i n a u d i b l e , d ragg ing with them t h e f l o r a of t h e sea , f i b e r s s t reaming o u t on t h e gleaming mud.

When s h o r e b i r d s t a k e f l i g h t , t h e wandering g a t h e r e r s do n o t s t a r e up under t h e i r c langorous wings, bu t b e n t , devote themselves to s i f t o u t , g i n g e r l y , from sand piecemeal i r i d e s c e n c e .

They pause , m o t i o n l e s s , knee-deep i n t h e sha l lows of t h e sea , o r squat on caked h e e l s to s o r t and a p p r a i s e t h e g r i t t y s h e l l s n e a r a t hand . They stand about , ba r e foo t on unsure dunes and, to m i t i g a t e t h e i r l o s s , w i l l n o t forgo t h e mementos of t h e i r f a t h e r ' s e s t a t e .

Though I l e a v e them s c a t t e r e d on t h e beach i n t h e h e a t l i g h t n i n g and f a i n t evening l i g h t , I must r e t u r n sea rch ing a t t h e edge i n p a t i e n t sorrow, myself c a s t a shore i n t h e s e p a s t u r e s of m u t a b i l i t y , "

DR. PIKE IN THE JUDEAN DSSSHT

He can l ead no peop le a c r o s s t h e empty d e s e r t , and dus t s torms b l i n d him with s e a r i n g g r a i n s of sand. No bush o r flame c a l l s to make good h i s l o s s aga in , and k i l n - h o t s t o n e s cannot become t h e bread, to end h i s f a s t .

Facing t h e four d i r e c t i o n s of t h e e a r t h ' s h o r i z o n , he h o b b l e s a imles s ly i n t h e furrowed dunes ; and t h e ho ly p l a c e s a r e n o t a t t h e b u r n t - o u t wadls , t h e h e i g h t s of eroding it>ck«,

He wanders too f a r from Horeb, o r J o r d a n ' s shore where small s t ones soak and rushes bend i n t h e so f t mud. When number less suns grow red t h e parched v e s s e l c r a c k s , i t s mouth s topped with sand, an ungathered p o t s h e r d .

32

BEFORE LUNAR ASCENT

Nei l Armstrongs "We were n o t d i s t r a c t e d by t h e q u e s t i o n of whether t h e ascen t engine would l i g h t , but we were sure t h i n k i n g about i t . " F i r s t on t h e Moon, 1970,

I f t h e t h r u s t e r s do n o t f i r e two men can never f l e e t h e moons they must s t a r e o u t a c r o s s t h e gu l f and t h e i r dead ship s tay with them, Apollo, g i v e r of p rophecy .

After shock and p u b l i c mourning we'd go p e a c e f u l l y to bed and t h e p a l e one magnif ied by n i g h t be more c rue l i n i t s beau ty , a new moon mock us with r e b i r t h .

Th i s e lemental f o r c e preceded us J be fo r e o u r maiden voyage i t caused t h e r a i n , t h e ebb and flow of sea, blood t i d e s , t h e t ime of sowing, and s t i l l i t s a i l s i n n i g h t j ou rney .

.So they , f a r from human r e s c u e , would know t h a t we a r e f l e e t i n g and t h e moon a r emor se l e s s rock» L ike Buddhist monks they must wa i t i n hollowed caves h igh i n c l i f f wa l l s*

when we could t a k e them to ea r th a t l a s t , they*d be as young as t h i s week»s cover p i c t u r e , o b s o l e t e as deep sea d i v e r s f l o a t i n g up from a faded yel low sea#

MYLAI INQUIRY

I n t h e h a l f - l i g h t of summer evening we h e a r f ragments of a war r e p o r t and on o u r s c r eens we watch t h e moon.

Tiny remote ep i sodes i n t h e c e n t r a l h i g h l a n d s seem f u r t h e r than t h e spacemen1 s r i g i d f l a g .

When dark f a l l s , t h e d r i v e - i n s along t h e highway l i g h t up t h e c o u n t r y s i d e with t h e i r huge whi te faces*

The neon calm of supermarkets and car-hood sh in ing on o u r driveway a s s u r e us t h a t we a r e a t p e a c e ;

t h e shot to t h e Sea of T r a n q u i l i t y i s a journey to redeem o u r ease , and d i s a s t e r s on o t h e r f r o n t s w i th in t h e p o i n t - b l a n k range of o u r f u r y .

NORTH DAKOTA WATER T0WBR

Above the farms and t r e e l e s s p l a i n s the young man scales the water tower to work, remote as a manikin*

Heedless at noon he l o s e s foothold and drops head downwards l i k e a shadow without sound.

The band marching at the high school sees him, and he i s re f lec ted f a l l i n g on the t u b a ' s curved b r a s s .

The c r i cke t s chirp in evening's earth and s ta lks of eddying wheat bend toward the s a c r i f i c i a l sun,

A d iese l horn of the Great Northern proclaims darkness. Lights are switched off i n the cafe, and cha i r s reversed on t a b l e s .

The ra i l road waiting room i s empty as the l i v i n g room s u i t e i n the window on Main, dark as the implement s t o r e .

The ten o 'c lock news flames from every farm. On s a t e l l i t e report war capt ives in gray stumble through Asia,

PRISONERS OP WJiB

Shot down by t h e laws of chance and paraded through h a m l e t s t h e airmen i n t h i s b l u r r e d f i lm drone r e g a r d s a s i f by r o t e t h e i r f a c e s uamoved and arms s l a c k , w a i t i n g f o r t r u c e o r s e c r e t moves.

The i r f e a r does no t e c l i p s e t h e l i g h t which sh ines o v e r a l l t h e l i v i n g e a r t h ; they must see t h e same sky as we, and t o n i g h t t h e same invaded moon.

When t h e room f looded with l i g h t suddenly da rkens , t h e mi s s ing men await i n t e r r o g a t i o n , and mark a bronze f l y r a t t l i n g on t h e window pane as sharp ly as a d e t a i l from t h e Las t Judgment,

ORKCTjffr RENDEZVOUS

Like a wandering soul Golumbia c i r c l e s once more t h e l and of t h e dead s

and waits for the ear th-bom ship to r i s e .

In the joyless immensity the two modules are t iny as e lec t rons swirl ing around an unfixed cen te r .

As these toy ships of mor ta l i ty d r i f t through deep space to dock, the world in the midst of passing flow shares the thought which s t e e r s through a l l t h ings .

In the earth*s teeming f o r e s t s the African pygmy smears he r se l f with white clay, dancing as a ghost at the feas t of the new moon.

ON SiORTWAVS BADIO AT NIGHT

38

Receiving t h e d i s p a t c h of i n f i n i t y I embark on a c r o s s i n g , and wander summoned by t r a n s m i t t e r s and c i r c u i t s . Uncer ta in r e p o r t s d i s c l o s e d from Europe c o n f l i c t with a f i t f u l , d i s s o l v i n g w a l t z . The gay s p a r k l e s of a rad io storm d i s r u p t what must be a s t r i c k e n l i n e r * s f i n a l b a l l . O r a c l e s o f chance m u t t e r t h e i r a p p a l l i n g i n t e r f e r e n c e s and man* s words, i n a c c e s s i b l e , recede*

Babel r o a r s i n s q u a l l s , r u s t l i n g and cooing b i r d s are perched on t h e t o w e r ' s b a l c o n i e s . Land masses d r i f t a p a r t , and, castaway, I am between* Borne on t h e swell o f waves, t h e wrack u p l i f t s g race fu l r i b b o n s , and wrea thes around undu la t ing boughs of ke lp* I n a u n i v e r s e of undersea mountains l i g h t y e a r s away, under a moonless sky t h e waves, wrenching rocky c o a s t s , h i s s i n g invade t h e g rave l beach of Antipodes*

RADIO SLLWCE

The abandoned ha l f of self d r i f t s out toward darkness. The ship t w i s t s round the pear l sphere to the fa r s ide . We must r e c i t e our dead languages to the unconscious moon* Silence mouths the unspeakable*

With heavy l idded eyes the three s i l v e r i d o l s s a i l through the e ther , f loa t and tumble down the steep universe with aimless calm, anonymous in snowy f i e l d s of r a d i a t i o n .

Then as we cross the shadow-line between death and day, the spaceship mirrors the white dazzle of sun. The fresh bur s t s of s t a t i c crackle l i k e angels* tun ics v ibra t ing in contingency.

ko

INWARD VOYAGE

Eagle (Armstrong) s "We're going r i g h t down U.S. One"

We must wish them Godspeed as t h e i r ship climbs swaying, t i p s ou t , and yaws over toward the orb i t* s curve. Racing from the Kingdom of Death they are pursued by Times in t h e i r f l i g h t earthward they cannot look behind them, and they hug the undulating walls of space to hold t h e i r course. With dark and inborn shame they hear on t h e i r headsets the Kindly ones croon of conquest and sorrow. Whirled around and around the narrowing vortex they plunge headlong home.

JU

PASTOEALJ SETS OP AN AIR CHASE IN THE WOODS OP KENTUCKY

As i f t h e Sabbath morning shone i n f i e l d s s snow thaws above t h e autumn t imber l i n e . Smoke s t i l l ascends from t h e s i t e of t h e c r a s h . The oak and furrowed ash, g lazed with dew, formal ly enc lose t h e s i t e f o r which l a s t n i g h t they had made room. Nothing s tayed f o r t h a t s t a r sowing i t s own d i s a s t e r as i t dropped, curving b r i g h t and s o l i t a r y through space . Lightened of p i t y t t h e a i r could r e t r i e v e no succes s ive i n s t a n t s l i d i n g i n c l e a r n e s s too g r e a t to i t s imagined, easy end. Of t h e p a s s e n g e r s assembled to d e p a r t one s u r v i v e s , d i s c a r d e d somewhere o f f i n t h e smoky woods. On h i s mor ta l knees Te r ro r bends i n t h e unbearab le f a l l , and h u n t s f o r s c a t t e r e d s l i v e r s of h i s s p e c t a c l e s .

SPLASHDOWN 0 D HSOQVERY

Prom the blue shel l of t e r r e s t r i a l skies the heat-scorched ship f l o a t s down languidly on billowing parachutes, and i t d r i f t s , canted, on the warm green water.

The Pac i f ic l aves the moonship swaying l i k e ah anemone, and fathoms down i n the l u s t r a l ocean the seaweeds with round f r u i t wind t h e i r b ra ids about the co ra l s .

In waters warm as the blood-stream, the men rev ive . Teetering atop the backwash of waves, they emerge into the l i g h t splashed morning, new born from the prodigious sea.

A he l i cop te r , i t s blades whirr ing, broods over the bruised c e l e s t i a l egg, and a c a r r i e r has tens to rescue three leaning men stunned by the forgiving air*

i±3

QUARANTINE

The p r i e s t s of Apollo must now be the earth*s pa r i ahs . They have kissed the v i rg in crone* s crusted brow as solar winds swept from space and cosmic rays sped to s t r i k e them.

Prom her lap they have seized the dust by handfuls, and sl ipped the molten beads through t h e i r f ingers* They plunged t h e i r faces in to a r i v e r of l i g h t and heard ga lac t i c noises in the roo t s of t h e i r t e e t h .

These minds intruded in to space but did not save na ture from i t s darkness. P a t i e n t s now i n hosp i t a l gowns they l i s t e n to human sounds through g lass and nod with archaic smiles .

Before they step on to t h i s i s l and of common day, and take t h e i r p lace in a year of assass ina t ions and dread we must set them apart s pur i f ied from the contaminating world.

A FRAGMENT PBOM TRANQUILITY BASE

This i s an -unhewn boundary s tone. I t belongs to the moon. We do not know what i t means* i f i t i s a thing to weigh o r the dwelling p lace of a ca ta tonic god.

AMEBICAN FARADS

Lincoln* s fune ra l t r a i n g l i d e s through America, t h e ru ined garden . And t h e muffled drums compel t h e l i i ion to weep as she b e a r s a dry bouquet to h e r s o n ' s green g r a v e . The ragged s o l d i e r s l e a v e t h e i r t e n t s to h o i s t h i s b i e r s and from t h e town, beneath s p l i n t e r e d Apri l boughs, march t h e death march.

The c i r c u s t r a i n b r i n g s t h e r a t t l i n g c a i s s o n s back . Mounted on i r o n wheels t h e steam organ b r a y s and pitchmen and r o u s t a b o u t s p l a n t t h e i r t e n t p o l e s . Lady gymnasts c u r t s y l i k e clockwork d o l l s , F . T . Barnum and t h e g r e a t Tom Thumb i n f l o r a l w a i s t c o a t s , r a i s i n g t h e i r b e a v e r s , a r e suns e r u p t i n g on t h e A l l e g o r i c a l Car,

THE TABLOIDS

When word i s o u t each n i g h t we scan t h e news to see i n i q u i t y s t a i n e d i n i n k bu t no communique of o u r expuls ion i s d ivulged i n goss ip o r banner*

Censor b a r s a c ro s s t h e eyes t h e w i t n e s s o r accused, r e a r , i s e s c o r t e d from cour t under heavy guard ; s u s p e c t s d e t a i n e d . We are one of t h e s e n s e l e s s omiss ions*

Dispatch r e v e a l s Tot with I n c u r a b l e Disease Awaiting Mirac le*s Advent; Exchange of S p i e s ; Sense le s s Tragedy; Accused Dupe of Unknown P a r t y ,

Who i s t h e a s s a i l a n t who runs amuck, o r bys t ande r caught i n c r o s s f i r e ? Thank God we a re d i s t r a c t e d by tomorrow* s news, and one b u l l e t i n g i v e s p l a c e to a n o t h e r .

By morning t h e word of n i g h t i s f lung away, then b reak ing l o o s e , s k i t t e r s through vacan t s t r e e t s * The crumpled pages , p o i n t l e s s now, a l i g h t . The promised m i r a c l e does n o t s u f f i c e .

Following t h e p e r i l o u s motorcade of noon, m u l t i t u d e s wander through t h e storm of t i c k e r t a p e , s t r i p s and shreds b lack and x-Jhite b roadcas t i n cold Manichean wea the r .

VI CIO HI PARADE FOR ASTRO NAUTS

We s tand with u p l i f t e d anus high i n t h e open c a r , advancing through t h e t a n g l e d , f l o a t i n g s t r eamers and acknowledge o u r e a r t h ' s k i n d r e d .

As t h e s i r e n s wai l and b e l l s t o l l t h e c i t y s t r e e t s b o i l o v e r with mor ta l c r e a t u r e s , unrea l crowds j o s t l i n g behind t h e b a r r i c a d e s .

These a re t h e d w e l l e r s of ea r th worldly f a c e s , d e s p e r a t e , who cheer i n t h e p r e c a r i o u s c i t y between t h e l o s s and t h e f i n d i n g .